Religious Freedom Opponents Attack Moses in Texas Textbooks
Seek To Rewrite Nation’s Religious Heritage
Austin, TX, November 20, 2014 – This week, opponents of religious freedom and our nation’s religious heritage are pressuring textbook publishers and elected State Board of Education (SBOE) members to eliminate references to Moses and Judeo-Christian principles from new textbooks being proposed for approval. The SBOE has the authority to review and approve new social studies textbooks on a periodic basis and they are currently scheduled to make a decision by Friday of this week. Americans United for Separation of Church and State and Texas Freedom Network are two of the groups demanding that publishers rewrite history books on this topic.
Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values Action, released the following statement:
“The continued efforts by anti-religious freedom groups attacking references to Moses, Judeo-Christian values and their impact on American law, government, and founding in our Texas textbooks are outrageous. From the halls of the U.S. Capitol to the U.S. Supreme Court and even here on the Texas Capitol grounds the images, references and monuments highlighting Moses and the Ten Commandments make clear the influence they have on our law, government and founding. You don’t need a Ph.D. to know that Moses, the Ten Commandments and Judeo-Christian principles have had a significant impact on America since its founding. The efforts by these “Moses Deniers” to rewrite history should be firmly rejected and Texas residents should contact their State Board of Education member immediately to ask them to support our American religious heritage and reject these shameful attacks by fringe groups who seek to rewrite our nation’s founding.”
Earlier this week, Texas Values Action presented testimony to the State Board of Education discrediting the efforts by some who want to eliminate references to Moses and Judeo-Christian principles and texts that relate to the Ten Commandments from proposed Texas textbooks. The SBOE was presented with a U.S. Supreme Court case, Van Orden v. Perry, a case from Texas where a Ten Commandments monument display on the Texas Capitol grounds was allowed to stand because of its historical significance. In the opinion, the Court outlined several examples of national government buildings where the connection between Moses and American law, government and founding are recognized and highlighted, including inside the U.S. Supreme Court itself.
About Texas Values Action
Texas Values Action is the new advocacy arm of Texas Values, a non-profit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvaluesaction.org.
